Craps TipsBeginner Craps Tips

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Dice and dice games date back to the Middle Eastern Crusades, but modern craps is only about a century old. Current craps evolved from the 12th Century Anglo game referred to as Hazard. Nobody knows for sure the origin of the game, although Hazard is said to have been discovered by the Anglo, Sir William of Tyre, sometime in the twelfth century. It is theorized that Sir William’s soldiers enjoyed Hazard amid a blockade on the fortification Hazarth in 1125 AD. The name Hazard was derived from the citadel’s name.

Early French settlers brought the game Hazard to Acadia. In the 18th century, when exiled by the British, the French relocated south and settled in southern Louisiana where they eventually became Cajuns. When they were driven out of Acadia, they took their best-loved game, Hazard, with them. The Cajuns simplified the game and made it fair mathematically. It’s said that the Cajuns adjusted the name to craps, which was acquired from the term for the losing throw of snake-eyes in the game of Hazard, known as "crabs."

From Louisiana, the game moved to the Mississippi barges and throughout the nation. Most acknowledge the dice builder John H. Winn as the father of current craps. In the early 1900s, Winn developed the current craps setup. He created the Don’t Pass line so gamblers can bet on the dice to lose. At another time, he established the spots for Place wagers and put in place the Big 6, Big 8, and Hardways.